The 2006 recipient of the DAN Excellence in Training Award is Dan King, owner of Diver Dan's in Santa Clara, California. Long an advocate of DAN training programs, King has issued more than 600 Instructor and Provider certifications since he became a DAN Instructor Trainer in 1996. He amassed 134 certifications in 2005 alone.

King also stresses the importance of DAN Training to his entire staff by requiring them all to be recognized as Diving Emergency Specialist (DES) Instructors.

"DAN programs have become the standard of safety and care for scuba divers worldwide," King said. "Every instructor, Divemaster, boat operator or dive professional should be trained in each of the DAN programs. Given the inherent risks of scuba diving, there is absolutely no reason for dive professionals to needlessly increase their risks of liability by not being trained in the programs that are viewed as the standard of safety."

"At our facility in California we require all our Instructors to teach all of the DAN programs and offer them regularly. If you are a store owner or chief instructor this should be your standard as well. Join the philosophy of 'Divers Helping Divers.'"

This is the third year for this award. All DAN Instructors and Instructor Trainers are eligible to receive the Excellence in Training Award. Previous recipients of the award include Sam Godley and Jim Brandt.

In addition, three DAN Instructor Trainers and Instructors were recognized for achieving training milestones. Robert Murray has issued more than 750 certifications and Scott Taylor and Michael Steidley have both issued more than 500 certifications. Annually, DAN awards Trainers and Instructors who reach a milestone in the previous year. Awards are given for 1000, 750 and 500 certifications.

In February DAN Training sent out 128 certificates, recognizing DAN Instructor Trainers and Instructors who issued more than 25 certifications at the Instructor and Provider levels in 2005.

All these award numbers are based on course rosters submitted to DAN. For more information on this award, contact DAN Training at 1-800-446-2671 in the U.S. and Canada or call +1-919-684-2948 ext. 555.

This article was reprinted from www.divenewswire.com (May 9, 2006)